• Anonymous

    I predict at least one run for the Dodgers this weekend.

    Maybe even two.

    And I will continue to nurse my grudge against Melky Cabrera.

    • Anonymous

       Whether the Gnats might match such an offensive explosion is doubtful.

    • Anonymous

      I predict a Dodgers series victory, and maybe a sweep.  Since I won’t be there…  :)

      • Anonymous

         You’re a pessimist.

  • Anonymous

    Good reminder, Jon.

  • Anonymous

    Who’s starting tonight? The dodgers.com site says TBD. Another site says Fife, but I thought he’s one day shy of meeting the ten-day rule since he was sent down after his last start.

    EDIT: I see dodgers.com says Elbert may go to the DL, which would let us recall Fife.

    • http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

      replacing a dl’d guy makes it ok 

    • Anonymous

      Fife is scheduled to pitch for the ‘Topes tonight, so he might be a good candidate.  Ely pitched Monday, so he’d be on short rest.  Greinke pitched Tuesday, just in case you were wondering. 

      • Anonymous

        Are the Dodgers still a player in the Greinke market?  I’ve only heard Dempster/Garza. 

        With the new money and Amaro’s comments, think they would consider Lee?

        • Anonymous

          MLBTR says the Fillies aren’t dealing Lee, and that the Dodgers are not in on Greinke.

          • Anonymous

            I think dale meant Zach Lee. 

          • Anonymous

            Sadly, I did mean Cliff.  Yesterday’s rumors had Philadelphia willing to consider offers. 

          • http://profile.yahoo.com/XDLXGNSFKJDMHP3MJMAMJ3NM5A Nick

            And quite honestly, any team wanting Lee and absorbing that $24 million/year when he is 37 years old needs it’s head examined. Unless the NL Yankees are eating most of his salary, he’s not going anywhere.

        • Anonymous

          MLBTR yesterday said the Cubs would accept the prospect the Dodgers had offered but the Dodgers hadn’t accepted which makes me think they are trying to land a bigger fish…. Also said they had talked expanding the trade to include Soriano or LaHair. I’m on board with Soriano if they’re paying most of the contract.

          • Anonymous

            The Cubs are offering to absorb all but $2MM of Alfonso Soriano’s contract, Stark writes. The left fielder earns $18MM per season through 2014 and the Cubs might take it all on for the right prospect.

          • Anonymous

            Yes on that one.  If Chicago is willing to pay all but $2 mil, that makes Soriano only $1.2 million more expensive than Kennedy.

      • Anonymous

        And Garza is out until after the deadline.

  • Anonymous

    Winning two out of three would make this a successful road trip (6-4).  Losing 2 out of 3 would mean dropping two straight series, falling another game back in the standings, and suggesting that the Dodgers just hit the Mets at a very opportune time.  So barring a sweep by either team, a single game might have large implications for the Dodgers, at least psychologically.  

    Then again, as long as they’re within striking distance in September, none of it really matters whatsoever.  One way or another, it looks likely that the division will come down to those last 3 games at Chavez Ravine against the Giants October 1-3.  

    Hooray for pennant race baseball in a season so many of us thought was lost long before it started. 

    • Anonymous

      I think the Dodgers will have wrapped it up well before that October series at Dodger Stadium, which should provide opportunities to chuckle at the Gnats.

      • Anonymous

        I think it’s awfully hard to predict what can happen between now and then.  There can be injuries, trades, one team getting suddenly hot and another cooling off, etc.

        Just to cite an extreme example, after the Dodgers completed their sweep of the Cards on August 24, 2011, the Cards were 10.5 games behind in the wild card race.  And we all know how that ended up.  Predicting whether the Dodgers and ‘ants will be within three games of each other at the end of the season (or, if not, which one will be on top) is barely more reliable than flipping a coin.

        • Anonymous

          I’d say there’s a greater than 50 percent chance that the teams are within 3 games of each other.  That’s a six-game swing.  

          • Anonymous

             I am the optimist here.

  • Anonymous

    It’s official: Fife re-deputized, Elbert to DL:
    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today placed left-handed pitcher Scott Elbert on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation (retroactive to July 26) and recalled right-hander Stephen Fife from Triple-A Albuquerque to make tonight’s start at San Francisco. Elbert has tossed scoreless relief in nine consecutive appearances (8.0 IP) since June 25 and has a 2.45 ERA in 39 appearances this season. Fife will make his second Major League start tonight after allowing just one run on four hits in 6.0 innings in a no-decision on July 17 in his big league debut against Philadelphia. The 25-year-old made one start for Triple-A Albuquerque since being optioned and struck out a career-high 12 batters in 7.0 innings of one-run ball on Sunday against Iowa (Cubs).

    • Anonymous

       If Fife could do that well v. the Fillies, he should do even better v. the Gnats.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    My dad is on a three-city, three-game, 48-hour ballpark tour.  Wednesday night in Texas, Thursday in St. Louis, today in Chicago, where it’s 7-6 with five home runs in the fourth inning. 

    • Anonymous

      Was he on the train back to Chicago after yesterday’s game, by any chance?  I didn’t see anyone in Dodger gear, although there were lots of Cardinals fans headed up to Wrigley.  Oh, and the train got in 2.5 hours late (1:35 a.m.).

      • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

         I’m sure he flew. And would not have been wearing Dodger gear, though he might be wearing a Cubs hat today.

  • foul tip

    Not sure when these were posted.  But maybe a bit more info on where things stand with Dempster. Seems Dodgers & Cubs may be working on three-ways.

    Three posts, one following the other.  Perspectives.

    http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/the-kapman

    • Anonymous

      good stuff, tip
      from those stories: Dempster, as the parent of a seriously affected special needs child has much more on his plate when he makes a decision than someone who has a family without those issues. We don’t know the other personal issues that Dempster may be dealing with on a day-to-day basis and how those affect his children and the rest of his family and his life. 

  • http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

    the lack of options for all concerned – including the Dodgers – still point to Dempster.

    and by the way put Hanley at 3B and lock the damn door.  the future all-star Dee Gordon will be back soon so life will be grander then.

    • Anonymous

      Before he returns, I’d like to see Gordon get a minor league rehab assignment.  For at least a few months.  :)

      • Anonymous

        there’s only 1 month until Sept. call-ups

        • Anonymous

          Well into next year would be good.

  • Anonymous

    I wouldn’t call this series make or break. But I do think its vitally important as far as the division goes. Rick Monday was talking about the mindset as far as games left. Basically he said there are never “enough games left”. Yes I agree July isn’t September but we should treat it like September. Hopefully Hanley will run hard right out of the box :)

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    NPUT